Ten clans live on the island nation of Dorohin, with the power to shapeshift into reptilian titans.
Caught between them is Yui, a young farmer of the subservient Wyrm clan, but he is no shapeshifter. Nonetheless, when the Ryu clan declares war against its neighbors, Yui is drafted into their military. Yui just wants to return home to continue living a life of peace, but his role in his clan is changed forever when circumstances force him to kill an enemy shapeshifter to protect his companions. However, Wyrms are forbidden from taking up arms, and are typically only used for grunt labor and clerical work. Yui's kill is sacrilegious, a violation of the natural order that Ryus hold sacred.
There are some, however, who see opportunity in Yui's amazing feat. Ryus may be strong, but they are few. The lowly Wyrm clan is far more populous, but its members have never been trained as warriors before. If Wyrms can be taught to fight and kill, their nation's fortunes may change in this war, with Yui as their unlikely champion. His efforts might not just bring victory, but also elevate the status of Wyrms to heights never before dreamed of.
Ten clans live on the island nation of Dorohin, with the power to shapeshift into reptilian titans.
Caught between them is Yui, a young farmer of the subservient Wyrm clan, but he is no shapeshifter. Nonetheless, when the Ryu clan declares war against its neighbors, Yui is drafted into their military. Yui just wants to return home to continue living a life of peace, but his role in his clan is changed forever when circumstances force him to kill an enemy shapeshifter to protect his companions. However, Wyrms are forbidden from taking up arms, and are typically only used for grunt labor and clerical work. Yui's kill is sacrilegious, a violation of the natural order that Ryus hold sacred.
There are some, however, who see opportunity in Yui's amazing feat. Ryus may be strong, but they are few. The lowly Wyrm clan is far more populous, but its members have never been trained as warriors before. If Wyrms can be taught to fight and kill, their nation's fortunes may change in this war, with Yui as their unlikely champion. His efforts might not just bring victory, but also elevate the status of Wyrms to heights never before dreamed of.
There are ten Draconian clans in Dorohin today. The six ruling clans are the flighted clans: Dragon, Ryu, Wyvern, Amp, Qet, and Cockatrice. Subservient to them are the four flightless clans: Drake, Hydra, Lindwurm, and Wyrm.
***
The carriage came at noon, as promptly as if it had scheduled its arrival for just that time. Normally, such an occurrence would hardly have been worth Yuiâs attention. The Lord of Pleasant Valley sent intermediaries all the time to report on the status of his serfsâ farms. Of course, the regional lord himself never stopped by, since it would be beneath his station to do so.
But this was not a lordâs carriage. It was flying a different bannerâone as white as newly fallen snow, not that Yui would know what snow looked like. It had the silver image of a Ryu sewn into it: a long, graceful, serpentine Draconian beast with a flowing beard and whiskers. Yui did not consider himself especially smart, but as he stood there in the newly plowed fields among all the other observers, he knew what it meant. That carriage was here on the business of the High Lord of Ryurando.
âWhat does it mean, brother?â asked Ayama, Yuiâs sixteen-year-old younger sister, though she looked even younger than that because of how dainty she was.
âNothing good,â Yui responded after a long moment of deliberation.
The carriage came to a halt in front of their masterâs great house. A piggish snort came from behind him. Yui glanced back at Chika, a dirt-brown thirty-foot serpentâa Wyrm Shifter, and a much humbler Draconian beast than a Ryuâpulling one of the enormous, multi-bladed plows with his tail. He gestured towards the masterâs house with his head, which had a broad, fanned hood somewhat like a cobra, then wiggled his midsection invitingly.
âIâll walk, but thanks,â said Yui. As much as he would prefer to ride his friendâs back, he knew the rules as well as anyone. It was still the working hours of the day, and there were quotas to be met. It would take Yui much longer to walk all the way to the masterâs manor, of course, but a Wyrm Shifter was a far more valuable worker than an ordinary Wyrm-kin like Yui.
âI want to go, too,â said Ayama, grabbing his brown cotton sleeve.
âNo,â said Yui firmly, removing her dark, slender fingers with a large, strong hand. âKeep working. Iâll be back soon.â
Yui knew he ought not to waste time, so he broke into a run before Ayama could protest. He felt the eyes of everyone in the field on him, Wyrm Shifters and Wyrm-kin alike. Slowly and reluctantly, those eyes turned back to their work. There was dirt to plow and seeds to plant; focusing on work might help them pass the time until Yui returned.
Yui was not a fast runner. He was far too big and bulky for that. Chika said he looked like a mountain in the shape of a human. However, he did have endurance, and plenty of it. Working a field all day, every day had trained that into him. He was not fast, but he never slowed down either.
Like any carriage in Ryurando, the carriage that had come to the manor was pulled by a Wyrm Shifter just like Chika, although his coloring was white instead of brown. The color matched perfectly with the high lordâs white-and-silver banner. The wheels were wooden, reinforced with metal for sturdiness, much more durable than the pure wooden wheels they had on their farm equipment. The Shifter driver turned his head towards Yui as he approached, but he did not move. The fact that he had not transformed back into his human form meant that he must be expecting to ride off again soon.
Yui only took one look at the masterâs front doors before a tall, light brown Ryu-kin man with an elaborate topknot came hurrying out. He did not notice Yuiâs presence until he was seated in the carriage. He narrowed his eyes at Yui before shouting, âHut!â at the driver, prompting him to slither off with surprising speed for a creature with no arms or legs and a load to pull behind him.
âYui! What are you doing here?â said a womanâs voice from the doorway. It was Mother, and she was wringing her hands nervously. She was a house servant instead of a farmhand, a job Yui hoped Ayama would be given one day, so that she did not have to keep working the fields.
âWhat, indeed?â said Lord Miyagaâa Ryu-kin, like the man who had just driven offâas he brushed past Mother to stand on the porch.
Miyagaâs manor had a lovely red pagoda design with several expansive wings. His plantation was one of the largest in Ryurando, with many dozens of families living on the surrounding property. Yui had always liked the way the manor looked on the horizon when he was working the more distant fields. But he could not say he felt as warmly about the master himself. Miyaga had long hair pinned up in an elaborate style, like the messenger, and his robes were bright blue and appropriately loose, given the incessant daytime heat of the south.
âWell?â Miyaga prompted impatiently.
Yui lowered his eyes deferentially. âWe wanted to know whatâs going on, milord.â
âThe high lordâs banner is very recognizable, milord, even to the farmhands,â said Mother swiftly, bowing as she spoke. âMy son is just eager to know what honor the high lord was bestowing upon us by sending one of his esteemed messengers.â
âWhat honor?â Miyaga finally turned towards Yui with a bitter gaze. âI will let you know what your honors are when I see fit, boy.â
âMilord,â said Yui calmly as he dropped to one knee. âWeâre worried. Itâs slowing down the work. If you tell us just a bit of news, weâll fill our quotas more quickly, I promise.â
Miyaga snorted, but Yui got what he wanted. âWar, boy. Thatâs your honor. High Lord Tomo is dead. Long live High Lord Hayate!â His lack of enthusiasm was painfully obvious. âHe is the one bestowing upon you the honor of conscription.â
âOur family is grateful for the opportunity to serve,â said Mother. âAs Iâm sure the others will be.â
âShut up,â Miyaga growled. âAll male Wyrms aged sixteen to forty-five will be required to undergo evaluation by a military examiner. It will happen in a few days. Now, back to work!â
Miyaga turned on his heel and stormed inside. Yui got the impression that the master did not care much for the glories of war and only saw it as depriving him of his laborers.
âAre we being invaded again?â Yui asked Mother. He had heard the stories from Father and Grandfather many times.
âI donât think so,â said Mother. Her hands were turning red from her restless fiddling. âThis is something else.â
***
Three days later, another carriage flying the high lordâs white banner came rolling up to Miyagaâs manor, as promised. There were not one, but two examiners in it, and a couple of assistants as well. They arrived in the evening, just before dinner. Miyaga was obliged to serve them a generous meal. But Yui did not witness any of that; Mother told the family after the fact. She was never home in time for dinner at their little thatched house far from the manor, so Ayama had learned to be an accomplished cook in her absence.
âI hope it is another war,â said Grandfather as he adjusted his smoking pipe with his left hand. His right hand had been amputated long ago.
âGrandfather!â Ayama exclaimed, aghast.
âAyama,â Father rebuked her, âdonât take that tone with your elders.â
Grandfather waved away her outburst. âEvery generation of this household as far back as I can remember has served honorably in the wars of Ryurando.â He jabbed his pipe at Yui. âIt would be a shame for Yui not to partake.â
Yui glanced at Father, who was staring at him with a steady, penetrating expression. He said nothing, simply nodding along as Grandfather continued to prattle on about his own wartime memories, which he often did in the evenings, even when a new war was not on the horizon.
The next morning, every mature male on Miyagaâs plantation was required to report to the manor for examination. The young, the women, the men over forty-five, and the elderly continued working the fields. There were still quotas to fulfill, after all.
âFind a way out of it,â Ayama whispered to him as he was escorting her to the fields along the way.
âItâs a very honorable occupation, Ayama,â said Yui. âFather and Grandfather both did it when they were young.â
âBut I donât want you to end up like Grandfather!â
âGrandfatherâs still alive.â
âYou know what I mean!â
âCome on, Ayama,â said Father as he pulled on her arm. Their father was forty-six, barely ineligible for conscription.
Ayama gave Yui a pleading look with her big, adorable eyes, but he resisted her charms and pushed her gently off himself. âIâll be fine. Itâs not like weâre deploying tonight.â
Ayama went off reluctantly with Father, but she looked back over her shoulder at him several times. Yui hiked up the dirt road towards the manor and saw many masculine silhouettes on the horizon doing the same.
âMorning, Little Boulder,â Chika greeted him enthusiastically when Yui finally made it up to the manor. He was in his human form at the moment, clad in a drab one-piece robe common to Shifters of his kind. The garb could be easily discarded when the need to transform arose, and just as easily donned again afterwards. Despite his Shifting abilities, Chika was shorter than Yui by a few inches, and not nearly as muscular. In fact, Yui had never met someone bigger than himself, so Chika liked to call him all sorts of ridiculous nicknames, like Little Boulder and Mister Mountain.
âGood morning,â said Yui without a hint of wit. He could think of a decent comeback, but he always let Chikaâs little jabs wash over him without reciprocation. He was uninterested in exchanging barbs, even just for sport.
There was a long line leading up to a foldable desk sitting in the shade of the manor, just by its front porch. One of the assistantsâa Wyrm-kin woman dressed in whiteâwas writing down information about each examinee. Past her were the examiners themselves and the other assistant. They were all tall Ryu-kin with dark hair done up in elaborate ways, and tilted eyes, just like Lord Miyaga and the royal messenger.
Lord Miyaga was standing nearby on the porch, overlooking the whole process. He had a disgruntled expression, and he was probably scheming of ways he could get out of losing workers to the army.
Yui glanced at the line and recognized every man present. They were all Wyrm Shifters like Chika, or Wyrm-kin like him, with brown skin, clean-shaven faces, and dark hair cut relatively shortÂÂ, as was proper for their station. The Shifters like Chika were easily identifiable by the three holes in their ears, although they never wore piercings. Everyone was accounted for. Nobody had tried to avoid their responsibilities, and it seemed he was among the last to arrive.
One examiner was exclusively looking at the ordinary Wyrm-kin like Yui. The other was examining each Wyrm Shifter like Chika. Yui watched as a young Shifter stepped up to the second examiner. He was ordered to take several steps back from everyone and transform. The young man obeyed and stripped off his robe as his transformation began. It was such a common occurrence that Yui had long since grown accustomed to its grotesqueness. The whites of the Shifterâs eyes turned dark, his pupils slim like a snakeâs. Dark vertical lines like scarred flesh appeared above and below his eyes as well. Then his limbs began to stretch and break, and the man let out a cry of pain. His arms and legs twisted and wrapped around his body as his torso began to elongate. At the same time, his head morphed into the shape of a serpentâs. The rest of his body followed as smooth scales erupted from his skin.
It was all over in a matter of about ten seconds, and when it was done, a thirty-foot, sand-colored Wyrm Shifter was coiled up in front of everyone. The piercings on his ears manifested in his Shifter form as slits in the base of his hood, so that the straps of farm equipment and harnesses could be slipped through harmlessly for work.
Only now did the examiner begin his tests. There were heavy weights nearby, all procured on-site: a pile of plow blades, a bucket larger than Yui filled with water, a crate filled with bags of flour. The Shifter lifted and carried each with varying amounts of difficulty and grace. Then there was a speed test, where the Shifter had to dash to and from several different checkpoints marked along an empty field that had not yet been plowed.
âIâm going to be an artillery runner!â Chika chirped excitedly as he watched. âI can imagine wrapping myself around that cold steel already.â
At least someoneâs having a good time, thought Yui.
âHey, maybe weâll be in the same unit,â Chika continued. âThen you can load, and Iâll shoot.â
âShifters donât shoot the cannons themselves, Chika,â said Yui flatly.
âHow would you know? Have you been in the army before?â
âNo, but Grandfather has.â Grandfather had also lost a few teeth, three toes, and his right hand in the defense of Ryurando, but Yui did not mention that part.
âA shame, that,â said Chika. âBlowing a Wyvern out of the sky⌠Can you imagine it? I guess Iâll still be close enough to see it happen. Itâll be enough if I can help a mighty Ryu warrior achieve victory.â
âWho said anything about Wyverns?â said Yui. âWeâre not being invaded, or else news would have gotten to us by now. It could just be conscription for the military reserves. Weâll be back to farm work in three months after basic training, if thatâs the case.â
âReserves? I didnât know you were so knowledgeable, Mister Mountain,â said Chika. âYour grandfather must talk a lot!â
He certainly does, thought Yui.
The Shifter finished his examination and transformed back into a human. His scales fell from his body and turned to dust as they hit the ground, which was swiftly blown away by the wind. Arms and legs sprouted from his torso as it shrunk back down to normal size. His head was the last thing to change, contorting wickedly from a snakeâs head to a human one as the man howled from the pain of the process. That last part still made Yui shudder.
The wait was dull, and the day was getting hot, but Yui figured it was better than working the fields. When he got close enough to the table to stand in the shade, it was not so bad. Then his turn came up.
âNext!â the Wyrm-kin woman at the desk called.
Yui approached.
âName?â
He gave it to her.
âAge?â she said next.
âEighteen.â
âShifter or kin?â
âKin.â
âMarried?â
âNo.â
The woman finished scribbling out the paperwork. âStep up to the examiner.â
Yui moved promptly along.
âShirt off,â said the sixty-something Ryu-kin examiner with a gray goatee. Yui obeyed, and he saw the man nodding approvingly as his assistant wrote down several notes. The examiner stepped up and poked and prodded at Yui in several places. Then he had Yui open his mouth while he checked his teeth and under his tongue.
âReaction test,â the man said to his assistant as he took two fingers and snapped them next to Yuiâs ear. He did not overreact, merely turning his head calmly towards the examiner. âSlow,â the examiner muttered with what seemed like mild frustration. Then he slapped Yui across the face. âFace forward!â
Again, Yui did not overreact, but calmly obeyed, unsure if this was part of the test or not.
âSufficiently submissive for such a brute,â said the examiner to his assistant. âThird tier recommendation. Next!â
Yui supposed that meant he was done, so he stepped aside and waited patiently for Chikaâs Shifter examination to finish.
***
âThird tier!â Ayama exclaimed later that evening as Yui was lying underneath a cart for shade next to the barn by their home. It was meant to be pulled by Wyrm Shifters, so naturally, it was huge.
âSo?â said Yui.
âGrandfather says they use that tier for âstrong but stupidâ Wyrm-kin!â
âYou were talking about it all day with him, werenât you?â asked Yui. He knew what the designation meant, but did not see the problem. Everyone had always told him he was slow of mind, and that he was lucky to be so strong to compensate.
âOf course I was!â said Ayama indignantly. âI was worried about you.â
Yui shrugged as best he could in his position. âAll Wyrms outside of Reshir are stupid, Ayama. Thatâs why we work on farms and donât read or write.â
âYou know what I mean! And we donât all work on farms. Some people like us move into the city, eventually.â
Yui shrugged again. âIt is what it is.â He had never had much interest in living in a city, anyway.
Ayama kicked his foot, which was sticking out from underneath the cart. âI guess you are stupid, after all! And so is High Lord Hayate!â
Yui immediately pushed himself out from underneath the cart and got to his feet. âThatâs our sovereign youâre talking about!â Yui hissed. He grabbed her arm. âNever talk like that! Ever!â
âWell, itâs true!â Ayama tried to wrench her arm away helplessly, but Yui barely felt the pull. âWhatâs he need you for, anyway? Weâre not being attacked!â
âIt doesnât matter,â said Yui. âIâll do what the Ryus say, and so will you! Donât you remember how the master had old Haruki beaten last month for calling High Lord Tomo a coward while he was drunk?â
âEven Miyaga didnât like Tomo, may he rest in peace,â Ayama argued. âIâve even heard Ryu-kin talk that way around us before.â
âDoesnât matter,â said Yui. âTheyâre Ryu-kin. Itâs differentâand now old man Haruki will never walk again.â He sighed. âIâll lay low, follow orders, and Iâll be safe. Wyrms donât fight; weâre just grunts.â He slackened his grip on her arm. âIâll come back. I promise.â
Ayama lowered her eyes and pressed her head against his chest. âYouâd betterâŚâ
***
âA tremendous honor, Yui,â Grandfather was saying on their way back from the fields the next day. He lisped due to his lack of several teeth, and he favored his left legâthe one missing some toes. He set his surviving hand on Yuiâs shoulder. âI know youâre not the brightest, but Iâd be insulted if they didnât conscript you, my boy! I was. Your father was. Itâs only right that you would be, too. Good blood we come from. They ought to know that by now.â
As if they know the difference between us and any other family of Wyrms, thought Yui, although unlike Ayama, he was wise enough to keep that to himself.
Yui glanced at his sister, who was walking on Grandfatherâs other side and looking bitter about his little speech. They were returning home, where Father was waiting. He rarely did field work and was usually building or repairing the huge Shifter equipment instead. Yui had long ago not been deemed bright enough to take up the skill himself.
âMail for you, Yui,â said Father sternly. His expression was impenetrable. As a skinny man, he had spent his military tenure well behind the front lines, fixing guns and wagons. Mother was about as small as Ayama as well, so it remained a mystery whom Yuiâs huge frame had come from.
Yui eyeballed the letter with trepidation. The wax seal of a Ryu was painfully apparent upon it. He heard Ayama inhale sharply. Yui reached for it hesitantly, but Grandfather beat him to it, snatching it out of his fatherâs hand with a greedy look in his eyes. âOh, what a fine seal that is! What an honor!â He broke it delicately without cracking the hardened wax, as if he were considering saving the seal as a memento of the occasion. He slipped out the paper and grinned widelyâan unsettling expression, given his missing teeth.
âWould you look. At. That!â Grandfather handed the letter to Yui. âI may not be able to read, but I recognize the curve of those letters from when your father was conscripted. Itâs the signature of the great General Kuro himself!â
Just like Grandfather, the words were meaningless to Yui. The only thing that mattered was the inky red checkmark near the signature Grandfather was going on about. He knew it meant he was officially considered fit for active duty.
âI hope youâre assigned to the artillery division, just like when I was your age!â said Grandfather proudly.
Yui would ship out next week.
Kin of the Pure Blood: From the Annals of Dorohin by A.K. Bryce takes us on another fantastic journey through Dorohin. Much like the first book in the series, Bryce takes us on an exciting journey through a magnificent world of original characters and creatures. This time, we get a better view of the Ryu and their Wyrm relatives as the world is rocked by war. Tearing families and people apart quite literally at times. Despite some gruesome scenes, the amazingly well-put-together world of Dorohin continued to pull you back in and show you something new.
As with the previous book in the series, Kin of Pure Bloodâs biggest positive is the fantastic world-building. With shifters of all sorts of dragon and bird-like fantasy creatures, something new is constantly popping up. A.K. Bryceâs spectacular writing adds to the fantastical experience, adding flavor to an already great book. The characters, both primary and background, are described and displayed in ways that make them feel realistic, and there is certainly no mistaking that a lot of effort was put into them. The pacing of Kin of Pure Blood is steady to fast. We are never left with much downtime as in a time of war. There is always something going on behind the scenes.
While the story takes place during a time of war, and this has some expected fantasy violence, some of which can be considered a bit gruesome, it is far from the worst cases of fantasy violence seen in a book of this genre. It should not be much of an issue for most readers. However, consideration should be given to whether younger readers or people with delicate mindsets are willing to read this fantastic story. If you are a fantasy fan, pick up this book, and the rest of the series.